Sheikh Hasina, her ministers sued in 119 murder cases

Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her associates have been accused in a total 119 murder cases over the killings during the movement of students and people that ousted the Awami League government. Besides, 11 more cases were lodged on the allegations of murder attempt and abduction. With that, a total of 130 cases have been lodged against Sheikh Hasina across the country so far.

Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India in the face of mass revolution of students and people on 5 August. After that, people started filing cases against her from 13 August. So far, 23 of the former ministers, state ministers, advisors to prime ministers, IGP and government officials have been arrested in these cases.

As of Wednesday, as many as 760 people were reported dead in the clashes and attacks centering the quota reform movement. Of them, 341 died in between 16 July to 3 August and 419 died in the next 19 days from 4 August and 23 August.

So far, a total of 119 murder cases have been filed over these incidents. Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, son Sajeeb Wazed, daughter Saima Wazed, former ministers, Awami League leaders, former inspector general of police (IGP), former government officials, lawyers, business persons and journalists have been accused in these cases. The members of law enforcement agencies are questioning them on remand.

According to the case statements, members of Awami League, Jubo League, Chhatra League, police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) opened fire on unarmed people indiscriminately. The former prime minister, ministers, MPs and government officials financed, planned and ordered these killings, it said.

Former law minister Anisul Huq and Sheikh Hasina’s advisor Salman F Rahman were first to be arrested after the fall of Awami League government. They were arrested from Sadarghat in the capital on 13 August, police said. They were shown arrested in a murder case filed with the New Market police station. They were put on a 10-day remand in the first phase. They were produced before the court again on 24 August. The court put them on another 10-day remand in two separate cases filed with the Lalbagh and New Market police stations in the capital. Five days after that, they were produced before the court again and the court granted another 5-day remand of them in the third phase in a murder case filed with Badda police station. With that, the court has put them on remand for 25 days in total in four different murder cases. The two highly influential leaders of the recently ousted Sheikh Hasina government are still on remand.

After Anisul and Salman, former deputy speaker Shamsul Haque and former state minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed were arrested on 14 August. A day after that, they were put on 10-day remand in a murder case filed with the Paltan police station. On 25 August, the court granted another 7-day remand for them in a murder case lodged with the Lalbagh police station. Shamsul Haque and Zunaid Ahmed were produced before the court on 1 September. On that day, the court granted a 3-day remand for them in another murder case. In all, they are on 20-day remand under police custody.

Former education minister Dipu Moni and former state-minister Arif Khan Joy were arrested on 19 August. The next day the court put Dipu Moni and Arif Khan Joy on remand for four days and five days respectively.

On 20 August, the police arrested former MP Ahmad Hossain. He was put on a 4-day remand in the first phase in connection with a case registered with the Paltan police station.

Workers Party of Bangladesh president and former minister Rashed Khan Menon was arrested on 22 August. The court granted him a five-day remand in the first phase in a murder case lodged with the New Market police station. Menon was put on another six-day remand in the second phase on 27 August.

Former chief whip ASM Firoz was arrested on 23 August. He was put on a seven-day remand the next day in a murder case filed with the Bhatara police station. Meanwhile, Dipu Moni was produced before the court after a four-day remand on 24 August. On that day, the court granted another four day remand for her in the second phase. Arif Khan Joy and Ahmad Hossain were put on another seven-day remand on 25 August in the second phase. Later, the court granted an additional three-day remand in the murder case lodged with the Lalbagh police station on 1 September.  In all, he is on a 14-day remand at the moment. Besides, ASM Firoze was put on another three-day remand in the second phase in the case filed with Bhatara police station on 31 August. In all, ASM Firoze was on remand for 10 days.

Besides, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JASHAD) president and former minister Hasanul Haque Inu was put on a seven-day remand after his arrest on 26 August. The court granted an additional five-day remand for him last Tuesday in another murder case.

Besides, former commerce minister Tipu Munshi was arrested on 28 August. The court put him on remand for four days in the first phase.

Abdus Sobhan Golap, publicity secretary of the Awami League and former lawmaker, was arrested on 25 August. The court put him on remand for seven days in a murder case filed with the Adabar police station. Later, the court granted an additional three day remand for him in the same case.

Former lawmaker Sadek Khan was arrested on 24 August. First, he was put on a four-day remand in a murder case registered with Mohammadpur police station. He was later remanded for another five days on 29 August in another murder case registered with the Adabar police station.

The police arrested former MP Hazi Selim on 2 September. The court granted a five-day remand for him. However, he fell sick on the second day of the remand. Following that, the court sent him to prison.

Former director general of National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC) major general (retired) Ziaul Ahsan was arrested on 16 August. He has been remanded for a total of 23 days in three phases. Besides, Bangladesh Navy Rear Admiral (retired) Mohammad Sohail has been remanded for 11 days in two phases.

Two former IGPs – AKM Shahidul Haque and Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun were arrested last Tuesday and were remanded for seven and eight days respectively in two separate murder cases. They are now being interrogated in police custody.

Meanwhile, police arrested businessperson Dilip Kumar Agarwala. The court put him on a three-day remand.

Apart from political leaders and government officials, two journalists were also arrested. Former Ekattor TV journalists Shakil Ahmed and Farzana Rupa were on remand for nine days. They are now in prison.

*This report appeared on the print and online versions of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Ashish Basu